1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a conductive thin film, an electrolytic film, a layered body of the films, and an actuator element. The actuator element herein is an actuator element that is driven through an electrochemical process such as an electrochemical reaction or the charge and discharge of an electric double layer.
2. Description of the Related Art
An actuator element that uses a gel of carbon nanotubes and an ionic liquid as a conductive active layer with elasticity has been proposed as an actuator element that can operate in air or vacuum (refer to Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2005-176428).
General actuator elements have a structure in which an ionic liquid gel serving as an electrolytic layer is sandwiched between electrode layers including carbon nanotubes, an ionic liquid, and a polymer. Such an actuator element is excellent in terms of quick deformation, but the amount of deformation is decreased after a voltage is applied for a long time.